A person who is medically termed overweight may be able to run miles, bicycle endlessly, and swim a tireless crawl for an hour nonstop. On the other hand a person who is seen as being of normal weight may not have this degree of stamina and physical ability. So who is fitter; which one healthier?
There is one view that says you can be fit only if you are at a certain weight and body composition, whereas the other point of view says that this is a prejudiced and limited notion. This second view appears to be a more reasonable view since it is less rigid and appears to allow for a better perception based on an individual’s genetics, lifestyle and health.
This view suggests that fat should not always be the criterion for judging fitness – it is possible to be a little overweight and yet be healthy and fit so long as one follows a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
Such an overweight person who eats healthy and exercises regularly may be a lot healthier and fitter than a thin person who may have low body fat but is sedentary and careless about what he or she eats.
It is argued that the much relied upon BMI (Body Mass Index) is really not a very reliable indicator of fitness; rather that it is Cardiovascular fitnessthat is a more reliable indicator of one’s overall good health.
So what is Cardiovascular Fitness? This is described by some experts as muscle endurance and the rate of efficiency with which the heart, lungs and vascular systems of the body work.
In short, one’s cardiovascular fitness corresponds to one’s heart, lungs and organs’ ability to consume, transport and utilize oxygen.
Regular exercise that increases one’s physical abilities, keeps one in good cardiovascular health, and this may be so regardless of whether the person is deemed somewhat overweight at the scales.
Even a normal weight person who is sedentary and suffers from poor cardiovascular fitness – say for instance gets winded climbing some stairs – is going to be more prone to heart disease and so on than a person with better cardio health.
So the answer to the question “Fit but Fat with Cardiovascular Fitness – Is this Possible?” would be a cautious yes, but with the caveat of healthy living and eating, and a regularly active lifestyle.
